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Background to the French Revolution, its dynamics and introduction to its international politics:

Background to the French Revolution, its dynamics and introduction to its international politics:. The “regime” or “order” in France in the 1780s characterized by the “ancien regime” based on: monarchical absolutism (divine right to rule) (Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette privileged aristocracy

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Background to the French Revolution, its dynamics and introduction to its international politics:

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  1. Background to the French Revolution, its dynamics and introduction to its international politics: The “regime” or “order” in France in the 1780s characterized by the “ancien regime” based on: monarchical absolutism (divine right to rule) (Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette privileged aristocracy dynastic geography hierarchical society Classes: Nobility (privileged and conspicuous consumption) Clergy (privileged - Roman Catholic Church largest owner of land and right to levy taxes) Guilds: Middle Class/peasants (taxed without rights) (expansion of trade and industry growth of cities, emergence of classes with wealth)

  2. 2. Impact of American revolutions and philosophers stressing equality, civil rights and “no taxation without representation”

  3. 3. Financial crisis of the Monarchy leads to the calling of Estates-Generale in May 1789 to seek reforms to resolve finances of the King after having failed to introduce a tax on nobility. Composed of: First Estate representing privileged orders Second Estate representing clergy and nobility Third Estate representing middle classes and peasants Third Estate declares itself as a National Assembly based on one man one vote, an assembly of the “people” representing “people’s right to sovereignty. Bastille stormed on 14 July 1789 followed in August by abolishing feudalism and privileges and adopting the Declaration on the Rights of Man and Citizens.

  4. 4. Threat perception in Europe and mobilization to protect ancien regime. Alarm across Europe. First to oppose the revolution from the outside were the Bourbons in Spain and Sicily followed by the House of Habsburg in Austria and the Hohenzollerns. Effort to bring back ancient regime.

  5. War Coalitions and Napoleonic Wars Revolutionary “tri-colours” (liberte, egalite and fraternite) aim to spread the word across Europe, protect the “fatherland” and emancipate Europe from despotism. French revolutionary armies annex Belgium (Habsburg territory) in reaction to Prussian invasion. Emigres agitated, King escapes Paris June 1791 caught, and French declare war on Austria in 1792 under threat of invasion from Austrian-Prussian invasion. Belgium and Savoy annexed. Monarchy abolished September 1792.

  6. First Coalition: (1772-1797) • Austria, Prussia, Britain, Holland, Spain and Sardinia vs Revolutionary France • France declares in Belgium, Austrian Netherlands, the Batavian Republic.French armies reach the Rhine, Spain sues for peace, the brother of the deposed French King,Prussians withdraw and annex Poland • Napoleon makes a name for himself by defeating Austrian armies in northern Italy and signing the Treaty of Campo Formio: • France annexes Holland • Austria gets Venice • Northern Italy under French domination • Switzerland occupied and Republic Helvetique declared followed by capture of Rome and the Vatican becomes Roman Republic. • Britain remaining only belligerent, Napoleon Egypt expedition 1798-99.

  7. Second Coalition: (1799-1802) • Britain, Austria, Russia vs. France • Napoleon captures power in France as First Consul 1799 and becomes symbol of “la patrie” unchallenged after his military and diplomatic successes. • Britain sues for peace in 1802 Treaty of Amiens recognizes French gains but a year later under pressure from British merchants to economic interests war resumed.

  8. Third Coalition: (1804-1807) • Napoleon declares himself emperor and makes the Pope come to Paris and he crowns himself in defiance humiliating the Pope. • Napoleon determined to defeat Britain • William Pitt in Britain forms alliance with Russia and defeats French- Spanish fleet in Trafalgar (1805) • On land Napoleon victorious crushes Austria, Prussia and Russia. Enters Berlin abolishes HRE and west German states organized into the Confederation of the Rhine. • In 1807 at Tilsit on the Niemen river on a raft in eastern Europe Napoleon and Tsar Alexander divided Europe among themselves. Russia captures Finland from Sweden and Poland resuscitated as the Grand Duchy of Warsaw under French control.

  9. Continued…In 1808 Napoleon ruler of Europe

  10. Continued… • In 1808 Napoleon ruler of Europe: • Emperor of France from Pyrenees to the Alps to the North Sea and the Rhine • King of Italy • His friends hold thrones of Naples, Spain, Holland, Denmark and Sweden • Blockade of Britain • Challenges: French revolutionary paradox: local nationalism resent French Presence • 1808-1813 Peninsular wars: Uprising in Spain when Napoleon’s brother is made King but defeated by Wellington and Portugal occupied and regains independence • 1809 Uprising in Austria Suppressed with great difficulty but still master of continental Europe if Napoleon had not quarreled with the Tsar • 1812 Attacks Russia with 600,000 men on the grounds that Russia not cooperating in blockading Britain

  11. Fourth Coalition: (1813 – 1815) • Russia, Prussia, Britain and Sweden (led by new King Bernadotte, best general of Napoleon, since 1804) later Austria • Napoleon pushed west of the Elba and at Battle of Nations in October 1813 near Leipzig defeated and withdraws to the Rhine, keeps falling back until in March 1814 Paris occupied (only seven years earlier Napoleon was in Berlin), Louis XVIII reinstituted. • Sent to the island of Elba in the Mediterranean but returns to fight in Waterloo in 1815 but bitterly defeated while the Congress of Vienna is in session (September 1814 – July 1815), declared and out law and sent to St. Helena.

  12. Characteristic of the French/Napoleonic Rule in Europe: • mobilizes/uses disenchanted middle class, merits rather than nobility stressed • role of nationalism (but backfires too) and people’s rule • co-centric rule • direct rule (natural France) • Kingdoms of Holland and Italy • Confederation of the Rhineland (instead of the HRE) • Area of indirect rule/hegemony Austria, Prussia and Scandinavia) • benevolent despot

  13. Ancien Regime • absolutist • nobility • dynastic rule • mercenary, small units

  14. Napoleonic regime • middle class • merits • people sovereignty • nation-state geography • conscripted mass armies

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